November

November 1: Father Colin T. Niederpruem

November 1, 1941

Father Colin T. Niederpruem

Father C.T. Niederpruem was born in Kyllburg Diocese of Trier, Germany, on May 17, 1878. At two years of age his family moved to the United States and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he attended grade school at St. Joseph’s Parish and St. Boniface’s Parish. Following primary school he learned the printing trade and worked at it for three years. He attended Marquette University and St. Meinrad’s Seminary to prepare for the priesthood. Bishop Dennis O’Donaghue of Louisville ordained him for the Diocese of Wichita on June 9, 1906. His first assignment was as an assistant at St. Mary’s Parish in Newton for four years and his next and last assignment was for 31 years at Odin. There he built the rectory and the convent. Fr. Niederpruem worked especially hard at fostering and encouraging vocations and saw nine young men from his parish ordained priests and dozens of young girls enter the convent. He died of a stroke on All Saints’ Day, November 1, 1941. During the three days his body was in the church before the funeral parishioners (up to 30 at a time) kept a prayer vigil day and night. Over two thousand people attended the funeral celebrated by Bishop Christian Winkelmann. He was buried in the Odin Parish Cemetery next to Father Emmerick and Father Kirmer.